We walked all over Copenhagen while we waited for check in time. Nice city to walk in. Lots of great colours used on buildings. Raining now so not sure about Tivoli tonight.
Friday 29 August 2014
Friday 7 March 2014
Day Eight - Genovesa
Day Eight
Our last full day at sea and our first day of rain. We awake to a light drizzle and choppier seas. It is early, just 6:15, when the wakeup call sounds and we are just pulling into Genovesa. We know that we are lucky to have an opportunity to land on this island because this is one of the few ships that currently gets permission to land here and they are only allowed to come here once every two or three weeks.
Genovesa is a caldera which means that we are inside a submerged volcano. The terrain is quite rocky and steep rising up from a few white beaches. This island is the home to an overwhelming number of seabirds and there are two opportunities to land but strictly limited numbers of people allowed ashore at any one time.
We take the first photography expedition into Darwin Bay and have already sited frigate birds with their fully inflated neck pouches before we land. The males inflate these pouches to attract females during the mating season and it is magically the right week to be here. We are surprised to see graffiti high on the walls and the guide explains that sailors have been coming here for many centuries as the caldera offers protection and a safe place to land. The oldest graffiti we see dates back to 1957 but he says there are places where you can see marks scratched into the rocks that go back to the late 1700s.
Our first steps on shore bring us face to face with the red footed boobies who not only have fanciful feet but also have turquoise and blue beaks. They hang about on scrub trees and settle into mangrove bushes all around us. Their webbed feet have claws that can grip and it is fascinating to be able to be close enough to see the mechanics of this. Their chicks are already fairly large and roost in the trees with them, their fluffy feathers fanning in the breeze. The guide also points out that although the majority of the red foots have darker feathering that there is about 5 percent of them that have an alternative colouring and, quite conveniently, he points out one of these rarer specimens in the mangroves in front of us.
The next section of pathway leads us into Nasca boobie territory (which until recently were called masked boobies) which truly are the plainest of the boobies. We don't spend much time with them as there was an opportunity to see them nesting on another island and also because we hear strange and unworldly warblings from around the corner and head off to see what is going on.
The sounds are coming from a dozen or more male frigate birds who have their red throat sack fully inflated and are shimmying their wings (remember they have about a seven foot wing span!) and trying to attract a single female who is sailing high above us. With bright red throats and iridescent green feathers around their ruff they make quite a photo. She makes many passes getting lower and lower each time. Finally she chooses one of the males and lands beside him. The warbling and shimmying continues because she still may decide that he is not the one but it seems she has chosen wisely.
There is also a pair of gold crested night herons nesting on the beach. We see both the male and female independently but their nest is high on the rocks and climbing is strictly forbidden.
We head back to the ship happy with our mornings 'catch' and Stan heads off for the last snorkeling opportunity.
A little bit more to come... we head homeward tomorrow.
Our last full day at sea and our first day of rain. We awake to a light drizzle and choppier seas. It is early, just 6:15, when the wakeup call sounds and we are just pulling into Genovesa. We know that we are lucky to have an opportunity to land on this island because this is one of the few ships that currently gets permission to land here and they are only allowed to come here once every two or three weeks.
Genovesa is a caldera which means that we are inside a submerged volcano. The terrain is quite rocky and steep rising up from a few white beaches. This island is the home to an overwhelming number of seabirds and there are two opportunities to land but strictly limited numbers of people allowed ashore at any one time.
We take the first photography expedition into Darwin Bay and have already sited frigate birds with their fully inflated neck pouches before we land. The males inflate these pouches to attract females during the mating season and it is magically the right week to be here. We are surprised to see graffiti high on the walls and the guide explains that sailors have been coming here for many centuries as the caldera offers protection and a safe place to land. The oldest graffiti we see dates back to 1957 but he says there are places where you can see marks scratched into the rocks that go back to the late 1700s.
Our first steps on shore bring us face to face with the red footed boobies who not only have fanciful feet but also have turquoise and blue beaks. They hang about on scrub trees and settle into mangrove bushes all around us. Their webbed feet have claws that can grip and it is fascinating to be able to be close enough to see the mechanics of this. Their chicks are already fairly large and roost in the trees with them, their fluffy feathers fanning in the breeze. The guide also points out that although the majority of the red foots have darker feathering that there is about 5 percent of them that have an alternative colouring and, quite conveniently, he points out one of these rarer specimens in the mangroves in front of us.
The next section of pathway leads us into Nasca boobie territory (which until recently were called masked boobies) which truly are the plainest of the boobies. We don't spend much time with them as there was an opportunity to see them nesting on another island and also because we hear strange and unworldly warblings from around the corner and head off to see what is going on.
The sounds are coming from a dozen or more male frigate birds who have their red throat sack fully inflated and are shimmying their wings (remember they have about a seven foot wing span!) and trying to attract a single female who is sailing high above us. With bright red throats and iridescent green feathers around their ruff they make quite a photo. She makes many passes getting lower and lower each time. Finally she chooses one of the males and lands beside him. The warbling and shimmying continues because she still may decide that he is not the one but it seems she has chosen wisely.
There is also a pair of gold crested night herons nesting on the beach. We see both the male and female independently but their nest is high on the rocks and climbing is strictly forbidden.
We head back to the ship happy with our mornings 'catch' and Stan heads off for the last snorkeling opportunity.A little bit more to come... we head homeward tomorrow.
Day Seven
Bartolome is the first islet on offer this morning with a wakeup call at 5:30 for those eager for the climb. Stan heads off and returns with sneakers caked and stained with red mud even though he has had a thorough rinsing as he reboards the ship. Among the many highlights of the morning were the land iguanas which look quite plump and haughty in the photographs. This islet is usually under extreme drought conditions but has had rain this season so there are patches of green and of course, swaths of mud. To protect the environment there is a set of steps constructed by the park which is very unusual for the area - there are 376 steps and the climb is 120 metres which may not seem like much but in the heat and humidity is quite grueling. It certainly puts Stan in full relaxation mode for the rest of the day.
I opt for snorkeling off Sombrero Chino which is a small islet formed by volcanic activity and which is as the name suggests, shaped like a Chinese hat. I am teamed up with Peggy and Al and we are on the hunt for Galapagos penguins which have fewer feathers than their Antarctic cousins and therefore stay in more temperate waters. This snorkeling trip leaves from a sandy beach where the red sand is already hot at 9:15! We see a wide variety of sea stars. My favourite is a trio of gunmetal grey and orange ones that seem to really pop off the white sand below. We swim around jagged rocks and through tightish passages hoping for penguins but are dissappointed.
Meanwhile Stan is cruising the same general area in a glass bottom boat and, of course, he sees and captures great shots of them on shore!
Lunch and a nap later and we set off again to deep water snorkel on another section of the coastline of this islet. Right off the bat I see a white tipped reef shark and a dark coloured ray. There are schools of neon and grey surgeon fish and more sea stars. A huge school of little silver fish pass through us in a hurry and right behind them comes the penguin. He goes right between Peggy's legs! They move so fast that it is hard to believe. We have to surface to laugh and adjust our masks because when you smile underwater the water gets in. As I am adjusting my mask another penguin paddles by on top of the water not a foot in front of my face. We drift in this area watching for the wave of silver fish knowing that they are trying to keep in front of the penguins. We weren't sure if we saw one penguin multiple times or if there was a group until we finally saw three together. Stan had opted for a Zodiac ride so Al was manning our underwater camera. He got a great video which we will bore all of you with when we get home. Oh, and we saw a total of 5 sharks on this round most of which were about five feet long but one was much larger, the guide said maybe sixteen feet long and pretty scary looking.
Swimming with penguins - best travel day ever!
Bartolome is the first islet on offer this morning with a wakeup call at 5:30 for those eager for the climb. Stan heads off and returns with sneakers caked and stained with red mud even though he has had a thorough rinsing as he reboards the ship. Among the many highlights of the morning were the land iguanas which look quite plump and haughty in the photographs. This islet is usually under extreme drought conditions but has had rain this season so there are patches of green and of course, swaths of mud. To protect the environment there is a set of steps constructed by the park which is very unusual for the area - there are 376 steps and the climb is 120 metres which may not seem like much but in the heat and humidity is quite grueling. It certainly puts Stan in full relaxation mode for the rest of the day.
I opt for snorkeling off Sombrero Chino which is a small islet formed by volcanic activity and which is as the name suggests, shaped like a Chinese hat. I am teamed up with Peggy and Al and we are on the hunt for Galapagos penguins which have fewer feathers than their Antarctic cousins and therefore stay in more temperate waters. This snorkeling trip leaves from a sandy beach where the red sand is already hot at 9:15! We see a wide variety of sea stars. My favourite is a trio of gunmetal grey and orange ones that seem to really pop off the white sand below. We swim around jagged rocks and through tightish passages hoping for penguins but are dissappointed.
Meanwhile Stan is cruising the same general area in a glass bottom boat and, of course, he sees and captures great shots of them on shore!
Lunch and a nap later and we set off again to deep water snorkel on another section of the coastline of this islet. Right off the bat I see a white tipped reef shark and a dark coloured ray. There are schools of neon and grey surgeon fish and more sea stars. A huge school of little silver fish pass through us in a hurry and right behind them comes the penguin. He goes right between Peggy's legs! They move so fast that it is hard to believe. We have to surface to laugh and adjust our masks because when you smile underwater the water gets in. As I am adjusting my mask another penguin paddles by on top of the water not a foot in front of my face. We drift in this area watching for the wave of silver fish knowing that they are trying to keep in front of the penguins. We weren't sure if we saw one penguin multiple times or if there was a group until we finally saw three together. Stan had opted for a Zodiac ride so Al was manning our underwater camera. He got a great video which we will bore all of you with when we get home. Oh, and we saw a total of 5 sharks on this round most of which were about five feet long but one was much larger, the guide said maybe sixteen feet long and pretty scary looking.
Swimming with penguins - best travel day ever!
Thursday 6 March 2014
Day Six
On every trip there is one day where you just can't keep up and this was my day to fall back and let my body recuperate from the heat and humidity of 'tortoise' day. Stan however forges ahead!
We have repositioned to the northern side of Santa Cruz overnight and are anchored off of Cerro Dragon or Dragon Hill which is the home of many land iguanas. This population was almost wiped out by feral dogs in the sixties but has been rejuvenated by controlling the dog population (don't ask) and by the breeding programme at the research centre. By the way, these iguanas are only colourful during the breeding season so if you ever decide to come this is an excellent time of year to do it! Disembarkation was again at six! Even from the ship you could see the giant pricly pear cacti and incense trees. The cacti have developed an adaptation which includes a 'skirt' of needles that face downward which keeps the iguana from eating them around the trunk. Apparently it was a difficult climb and got quite muddy near the top as it is the rainy season. Everyone returned to the boat with shoes caked in a bright red mud. Although they are quite rigourous about washing our shoes when we return so that soil is not transferred from island to island they weren't able to get their shoes clean. Stan's runners remind me of his feet after a rainstorm in PEI.
Then they are off to snorkel around the Guy Fawkes Islets where Stan chose to snorkel with Peggy and Al off of the small beach since he didn't have me to partner with in deeper water. They saw differnt fish and invertebrates because they were in a different type of water environment.
Zodiac rides around the islets were on offer after lunch and then we set sail for Daphne Major where the Grants did all of their ground breaking reaseach into finches (read Beak of the Finch if you are interested in all the science but warning, I've found it hard slugging for a right-brained person). The captain has arranged to have us all in the bow for the sail around of this island which is strictly prohibited for tourists. It is a lovely time of day with the sun setting on the horizon and champagne on the house.
Another early night because, you guessed it, an early call tomorrow!
On every trip there is one day where you just can't keep up and this was my day to fall back and let my body recuperate from the heat and humidity of 'tortoise' day. Stan however forges ahead!
We have repositioned to the northern side of Santa Cruz overnight and are anchored off of Cerro Dragon or Dragon Hill which is the home of many land iguanas. This population was almost wiped out by feral dogs in the sixties but has been rejuvenated by controlling the dog population (don't ask) and by the breeding programme at the research centre. By the way, these iguanas are only colourful during the breeding season so if you ever decide to come this is an excellent time of year to do it! Disembarkation was again at six! Even from the ship you could see the giant pricly pear cacti and incense trees. The cacti have developed an adaptation which includes a 'skirt' of needles that face downward which keeps the iguana from eating them around the trunk. Apparently it was a difficult climb and got quite muddy near the top as it is the rainy season. Everyone returned to the boat with shoes caked in a bright red mud. Although they are quite rigourous about washing our shoes when we return so that soil is not transferred from island to island they weren't able to get their shoes clean. Stan's runners remind me of his feet after a rainstorm in PEI.
Then they are off to snorkel around the Guy Fawkes Islets where Stan chose to snorkel with Peggy and Al off of the small beach since he didn't have me to partner with in deeper water. They saw differnt fish and invertebrates because they were in a different type of water environment.
Zodiac rides around the islets were on offer after lunch and then we set sail for Daphne Major where the Grants did all of their ground breaking reaseach into finches (read Beak of the Finch if you are interested in all the science but warning, I've found it hard slugging for a right-brained person). The captain has arranged to have us all in the bow for the sail around of this island which is strictly prohibited for tourists. It is a lovely time of day with the sun setting on the horizon and champagne on the house.
Another early night because, you guessed it, an early call tomorrow!
Day Five
We have returned to civilization. When I am up in the night I see the lights of a small town out the porthole. This is Santa Cruz Island which is the second larges of the islands and the town of Puerto Ayora is home to the Charles Darwin Research Centre. It is already extremely hot and humid when we get off the Zodiacs at 7:30. The walk from the dock to the centre seems much longer to me than it should and this pattern continues for the rest of the day.
At the research centre they worked diligently through the 60's and 70's to rejuvenate the failing turtle populations on the various islands. The program was hugely successful and now most of the islands have wild populations that are self sustaining. This was the centre where poor Lonesome George lived out his life as the last remaining Pinta Island tortoise which was the only species they did not manage to save. He passed away last year and is currently on exhibit in New York but will be returning to the centre at the end of the year for exhibit. There were pens with everything from the smallest babies to juveniles that are almost ready for placement in the wild. They are not usually repatriated to their islands until they are 15 - remember these tortoise are slow growing and can live close to 200 years so they are on a different time clock than we are. The process for securing and nurturing the eggs is very rigourous. The eggs that are nearer the bottom of the nest are at a different temperature and as temperature determines sex with toroise eggs this preserves the higher ratio of female to male. Although it only about 1 degree celcius that separates the sexes they must carefully calibrate the incubator temperatures. They also discovered that the eggs must stay in the same polarity as they are laid - if they rotate at all then they will not hatch - so each egg must be carefully marked to show which way it must lay in the incubator. Research also led to finding that the urine of the female laying the egg is an insecticide and the mucus that covers the eggs an antimicrobial and antiparasitical. Although the babies are outside early in their lives their pens must be well secured and covered at night even in the research centre. Black rats that arrive with the ships have become a nuisance and the babies have soft shells until they are at least 2 years old making them quite vulnerable.
Nearby pens contained some adult turtles and they were huge. We got to see in close proximity the main difference between the species which is the shape of the carapace. On island where vegetation is low the hood around the head is also low. On islands where the vegetation is up higher the shape of the carapace has adapted to allow the head to reach up quite high for low hanging leaves and branches.
We have a long hot walk into town where we do a little shopping (very little!) and Stan gets some photos at the local fish market. We head to the meet up point at The Rock where I have the best lemonade I have every had in my life and I certainly needed it at this point. It was tangy and sharp and sweet all at the same time and oh so very cold and wonderful.
Truly the day could have ended here but it did not. In fact we were barely half done. We loaded onto busses and headed inland and uphill to the highlands where there is some agriculture. We stop at a micro sugar cane and coffee plantation (about 5 hectares in size) called El Trapiche where we get a brief glimpse of what life was like for the settlers that were sent over from Ecuador in the 1800's. The other highlight for the brave was getting to taste one of the byproducts of the molasses preparation - Galapagian moonshine! For those of you who frequent Starbucks it is worth noting that these farmers are growing the coffee amongst the local flora as it is a shade tolerant variety and Starbucks has contracted to buy most of it. Apparently it is rated as one of the top ten coffees available through them and is ecofriendly.
Lunch is a lovely stop at a restaurant out in the country called Aquelarre that has been in the hands of the same family for many generations. I was so hot and tired that lunch was a bit of a chore but Stan enjoyed his and most of mine. The local Ecuador chickens are very tasty!
At last we reach the main purpose of the day for many of the people on our ship - seeing the land tortoise in the wild. A short drive takes us to the area that is preserved for them and managed hand in hand with the local rancher who has wisely scaled back his cattle and upscaled a lovely shady veranda area where cool drink and fruit are available for the weary. Stan takes off on an adventurous hike through the preserved area; I visit for a time with a juvenile who is about 15 years old and who is graciously grazing near the veranda. I do see the larger tortoise roaming about and am surprised to see how quickly they move across the grassy areas looking for their favourites.
It has been a very long day and I am grateful to be off the Zodiac and into a cool shower. Stan attends the afternoon lecture by the head of the research station who has come on board to speak to us while I listen from the speaker in our room. Linblad is one of the main contributors to the research station and they only send speakers to their ship. We also have Ecuadorian singers and dancers on board for our entertainment but I am afraid they find a very sleepy ship and many dozing spectators.
We have returned to civilization. When I am up in the night I see the lights of a small town out the porthole. This is Santa Cruz Island which is the second larges of the islands and the town of Puerto Ayora is home to the Charles Darwin Research Centre. It is already extremely hot and humid when we get off the Zodiacs at 7:30. The walk from the dock to the centre seems much longer to me than it should and this pattern continues for the rest of the day.
At the research centre they worked diligently through the 60's and 70's to rejuvenate the failing turtle populations on the various islands. The program was hugely successful and now most of the islands have wild populations that are self sustaining. This was the centre where poor Lonesome George lived out his life as the last remaining Pinta Island tortoise which was the only species they did not manage to save. He passed away last year and is currently on exhibit in New York but will be returning to the centre at the end of the year for exhibit. There were pens with everything from the smallest babies to juveniles that are almost ready for placement in the wild. They are not usually repatriated to their islands until they are 15 - remember these tortoise are slow growing and can live close to 200 years so they are on a different time clock than we are. The process for securing and nurturing the eggs is very rigourous. The eggs that are nearer the bottom of the nest are at a different temperature and as temperature determines sex with toroise eggs this preserves the higher ratio of female to male. Although it only about 1 degree celcius that separates the sexes they must carefully calibrate the incubator temperatures. They also discovered that the eggs must stay in the same polarity as they are laid - if they rotate at all then they will not hatch - so each egg must be carefully marked to show which way it must lay in the incubator. Research also led to finding that the urine of the female laying the egg is an insecticide and the mucus that covers the eggs an antimicrobial and antiparasitical. Although the babies are outside early in their lives their pens must be well secured and covered at night even in the research centre. Black rats that arrive with the ships have become a nuisance and the babies have soft shells until they are at least 2 years old making them quite vulnerable.
Nearby pens contained some adult turtles and they were huge. We got to see in close proximity the main difference between the species which is the shape of the carapace. On island where vegetation is low the hood around the head is also low. On islands where the vegetation is up higher the shape of the carapace has adapted to allow the head to reach up quite high for low hanging leaves and branches.
We have a long hot walk into town where we do a little shopping (very little!) and Stan gets some photos at the local fish market. We head to the meet up point at The Rock where I have the best lemonade I have every had in my life and I certainly needed it at this point. It was tangy and sharp and sweet all at the same time and oh so very cold and wonderful.
Truly the day could have ended here but it did not. In fact we were barely half done. We loaded onto busses and headed inland and uphill to the highlands where there is some agriculture. We stop at a micro sugar cane and coffee plantation (about 5 hectares in size) called El Trapiche where we get a brief glimpse of what life was like for the settlers that were sent over from Ecuador in the 1800's. The other highlight for the brave was getting to taste one of the byproducts of the molasses preparation - Galapagian moonshine! For those of you who frequent Starbucks it is worth noting that these farmers are growing the coffee amongst the local flora as it is a shade tolerant variety and Starbucks has contracted to buy most of it. Apparently it is rated as one of the top ten coffees available through them and is ecofriendly.
Lunch is a lovely stop at a restaurant out in the country called Aquelarre that has been in the hands of the same family for many generations. I was so hot and tired that lunch was a bit of a chore but Stan enjoyed his and most of mine. The local Ecuador chickens are very tasty!
At last we reach the main purpose of the day for many of the people on our ship - seeing the land tortoise in the wild. A short drive takes us to the area that is preserved for them and managed hand in hand with the local rancher who has wisely scaled back his cattle and upscaled a lovely shady veranda area where cool drink and fruit are available for the weary. Stan takes off on an adventurous hike through the preserved area; I visit for a time with a juvenile who is about 15 years old and who is graciously grazing near the veranda. I do see the larger tortoise roaming about and am surprised to see how quickly they move across the grassy areas looking for their favourites.
It has been a very long day and I am grateful to be off the Zodiac and into a cool shower. Stan attends the afternoon lecture by the head of the research station who has come on board to speak to us while I listen from the speaker in our room. Linblad is one of the main contributors to the research station and they only send speakers to their ship. We also have Ecuadorian singers and dancers on board for our entertainment but I am afraid they find a very sleepy ship and many dozing spectators.
Day Four
The wakeup call comes early - 5:30 a.m.! We are anchored off of Floreana at a landing site called Punta Cormorant and the morning hike starts at 6:00 a.m. so the heat will be less intense and the photographers will have ideal light conditions. Stan has been up for a while anyway photographing the night sky at the edge of dawn.
Floreana offers more vegetation and because it is the rainy season there are blossoms and even flowers so we see Galapagos bees as well as lots of birds that are nesting. There is a brackish lake where we see two flamingos in the distance. The Galapagos Flamingo is in decline and the guides are happy that we at least saw two.
We return to the ship for breakfast and kit up for snorkeling around Champion Islet just off the edge of Floreana. There are some currents here so there are different kinds of fish to be seen and the schools are bigger than we saw the first day. The big surprise of the day was having a white tipped reef shark swim underneath us. Stan got really lucky and caught him on video because he swam through when a large school of colourful fish were around us.
The daily schedule is organized to keep us out of the strong sun so we have some time back on board for photo seminars and break out sessions as well as time to have a siesta in one of the hammocks hung in shady parts of the deck, or on lounges or on beds in our well air-conditioned rooms.
Late in the afternoon we land at Post Office Bay to visit the Post Office Barrel. This location has been in use since the early exploration and whaling days. It was first mentioned in writing in 1793. Sailors wrote letters and dropped them here. The next ship along would go through the mail and find the letters that were addressed to go to the ports they were headed for and would take them to deliver when they arrived. We went through the cards that had been posted and found only one that we could hand deliver and it is actually headed for Indialantic where I am teaching in April. We have posted cards for the kids and the parents and we will will see how long it takes for them to reach us.
No surprise we were really early to bed. We have seen the itinerary for the next day and know it will be tiring.
The wakeup call comes early - 5:30 a.m.! We are anchored off of Floreana at a landing site called Punta Cormorant and the morning hike starts at 6:00 a.m. so the heat will be less intense and the photographers will have ideal light conditions. Stan has been up for a while anyway photographing the night sky at the edge of dawn.
Floreana offers more vegetation and because it is the rainy season there are blossoms and even flowers so we see Galapagos bees as well as lots of birds that are nesting. There is a brackish lake where we see two flamingos in the distance. The Galapagos Flamingo is in decline and the guides are happy that we at least saw two.
We return to the ship for breakfast and kit up for snorkeling around Champion Islet just off the edge of Floreana. There are some currents here so there are different kinds of fish to be seen and the schools are bigger than we saw the first day. The big surprise of the day was having a white tipped reef shark swim underneath us. Stan got really lucky and caught him on video because he swam through when a large school of colourful fish were around us.
The daily schedule is organized to keep us out of the strong sun so we have some time back on board for photo seminars and break out sessions as well as time to have a siesta in one of the hammocks hung in shady parts of the deck, or on lounges or on beds in our well air-conditioned rooms.
Late in the afternoon we land at Post Office Bay to visit the Post Office Barrel. This location has been in use since the early exploration and whaling days. It was first mentioned in writing in 1793. Sailors wrote letters and dropped them here. The next ship along would go through the mail and find the letters that were addressed to go to the ports they were headed for and would take them to deliver when they arrived. We went through the cards that had been posted and found only one that we could hand deliver and it is actually headed for Indialantic where I am teaching in April. We have posted cards for the kids and the parents and we will will see how long it takes for them to reach us.
No surprise we were really early to bed. We have seen the itinerary for the next day and know it will be tiring.
Monday 3 March 2014
Day Three
Day Three
Up bright and early to get out snorkeling before the sun gets too hot. The head naturalist did a great briefing on how to snorkel and kept it light and humourous. His name is Carlos Romero Franco and in addition to being a registered guide he has a doctorate in biology and a great sense of humour. They have all the equipment organized on board with bags for us to keep our equipment in between excursions and a place on deck for them to hang by room number. Everything has been this organized and easy which is such a delight.
We head off for our first deep water snorkel experience just off Espanola Island (also called Hood). Our pool practice paid off and the whole experience was great and very relaxing. We saw lots of bright coloured fish, sea urchins, and a few sea lions swimming very deep down which totally ignored us.
After lunch the boat repositions to the other side of the island. Stan takes the long hike for photographers but I opt for the short excursion instead because this is the most difficult trail in all of the Galapagos and not for anyone with any walking issues. Good decision on my part!
I still get to see Darwin finches, American Oyster Catchers, flying blue boobies, frigate birds, lots of iguana, several kinds of crabs, mockingbirds and sea lions galore including nursing babies. One little pup gave me a kiss on the back of the leg! It was so sweet and again so hard to resist touching it. The guide told us that the mother will go out for 2 or 3 days at a time to feed on fish and then she returns for a couple of days to feed the pup. Her milk is quite rich and holds the young one that long and as there are no predators on land here the pup is safer on shore than in the water where there are many kinds of shark who feed on sea lion.
I also get to see all of Stan's pictures which are, of course, outstanding. He found nesting Nazca boobies and even has pictures of infants and eggs. He took so many pictures he had to change sticks part way through. Culling our shots down is going to be challenging!
Up bright and early to get out snorkeling before the sun gets too hot. The head naturalist did a great briefing on how to snorkel and kept it light and humourous. His name is Carlos Romero Franco and in addition to being a registered guide he has a doctorate in biology and a great sense of humour. They have all the equipment organized on board with bags for us to keep our equipment in between excursions and a place on deck for them to hang by room number. Everything has been this organized and easy which is such a delight.
We head off for our first deep water snorkel experience just off Espanola Island (also called Hood). Our pool practice paid off and the whole experience was great and very relaxing. We saw lots of bright coloured fish, sea urchins, and a few sea lions swimming very deep down which totally ignored us.
After lunch the boat repositions to the other side of the island. Stan takes the long hike for photographers but I opt for the short excursion instead because this is the most difficult trail in all of the Galapagos and not for anyone with any walking issues. Good decision on my part!
I still get to see Darwin finches, American Oyster Catchers, flying blue boobies, frigate birds, lots of iguana, several kinds of crabs, mockingbirds and sea lions galore including nursing babies. One little pup gave me a kiss on the back of the leg! It was so sweet and again so hard to resist touching it. The guide told us that the mother will go out for 2 or 3 days at a time to feed on fish and then she returns for a couple of days to feed the pup. Her milk is quite rich and holds the young one that long and as there are no predators on land here the pup is safer on shore than in the water where there are many kinds of shark who feed on sea lion.
I also get to see all of Stan's pictures which are, of course, outstanding. He found nesting Nazca boobies and even has pictures of infants and eggs. He took so many pictures he had to change sticks part way through. Culling our shots down is going to be challenging!
Day One and Two
Day One
We fly out of Miami to Guayaquil, Ecuador which is on the coast. The flight is just over four hours and we land just before midnight. The customs line is long but the trip to the Hilton Colon takes no time and we are off to bed around 1 in the morning. Our wake-up call has been set for 5:10 a.m.
Day Two
A quick breakfast and we head back to the airport for our flight on Aerogal to Puerto Baquerizo on San Cristobel Island. We are met there by buses which take us about five minutes away to the pier where we see sea lions and the brilliant Sally Lighthouse crabs before we even get off the bus. Then there are octopus in the water and frigate birds overhead (which look like something prehistoric, like pterodactyl). Also we find Massimo Bassano on the pier and have a quick catch up with him recalling the time we spent with him on our Sienna expedition in 2006.
This is also when we discover that we will be going out to the ship on Zodiacs! We weren't quite prepared for this but they hand us life jackets, get us all on board and pile our carry on luggage in the middle. The driver is quite sedate and one of head naturalist gives us a brief introduction to onboard saftety and how to properly hold on, which by the way is by gripping the proferred arm securely around the forearm, and in no time we are approaching the National Geographic Endeavour.
As there are only 96 passengers we are all on board in no time. There is a reception in the lounge with fresh fruit and beverages and we do a very thorough safety drill thereafter. Lunch is served and the buffet is small and elegant and delicious with lots of variety. Then we have the mandatory orientation for visitors to the park before setting out for our first wet landing from the Zodiacs.
We have seen a large rock from the distance which looks like a big boot but we aren't headed there. We are headed to a white sand beach for our first nature walk and optional swim at a place called Cerro Brujo (Wizard Hill). From the time we get on the shore we are seeing sea lions of all sizes and shapes. There are little ones and really big ones. We walk around them and on the narrow parts of the path we walk over sleeping ones. Once in a while if you get too close, especially to a male, it will snort and bark to warn you not to come any closer. We aren't allowed to touch the animals but it is so tempting to reach out and feel their fur. The whiskers are long and quite stiff looking. We find out that they actually use them to hear sound vibrations in the water so they can follow the fish they have chosen to chase until the fish tires and becomes dinner.
The rocks are black, rough lava and they are covered with marine iguanas, lava lizards and Sally Lightfoot crabs.
The sky is full of birds looking for a fish supper and there are frigates, black lava gulls, pelicans and blue boobies! Yes, the boobies on the first day. None are wandering the shore but Stan took some stellar shots of them and the of the pelicans as they dove repeatedly for fish.
I spent my time tracking crabs. The shells are bright orange with wonderful patterns and the undersides are a lovely milky teal colour. With black lava rock as the backdrop they are quite spectacular to watch.
We head back to the boat for a quick shower and then head back to the lounge for the Captain's welcome which offers lovely appetizers and really delicious Grasshoppers to drink.
We are joined by a naturalist at our table for dinner (we sat with Massimo and one of the other onboard photographers at lunch). Having an expert to ask anything we want keeps the conversation quite lively. Most of the tables hold ten people and there is no assigned seating. We all have name tags and the ones who are adept at that sort of thing are quickly learning everyone's names.
There is no night life after dinner tonight. Everyone is quite exhausted but also quite happy. I must admit I fell asleep reading while Stan was downloading our photos. I couldn't even drag myself out of sleep long enough to brush my teeth - the first time that has happened in living memory!
We fly out of Miami to Guayaquil, Ecuador which is on the coast. The flight is just over four hours and we land just before midnight. The customs line is long but the trip to the Hilton Colon takes no time and we are off to bed around 1 in the morning. Our wake-up call has been set for 5:10 a.m.
Day Two
A quick breakfast and we head back to the airport for our flight on Aerogal to Puerto Baquerizo on San Cristobel Island. We are met there by buses which take us about five minutes away to the pier where we see sea lions and the brilliant Sally Lighthouse crabs before we even get off the bus. Then there are octopus in the water and frigate birds overhead (which look like something prehistoric, like pterodactyl). Also we find Massimo Bassano on the pier and have a quick catch up with him recalling the time we spent with him on our Sienna expedition in 2006.
This is also when we discover that we will be going out to the ship on Zodiacs! We weren't quite prepared for this but they hand us life jackets, get us all on board and pile our carry on luggage in the middle. The driver is quite sedate and one of head naturalist gives us a brief introduction to onboard saftety and how to properly hold on, which by the way is by gripping the proferred arm securely around the forearm, and in no time we are approaching the National Geographic Endeavour.
As there are only 96 passengers we are all on board in no time. There is a reception in the lounge with fresh fruit and beverages and we do a very thorough safety drill thereafter. Lunch is served and the buffet is small and elegant and delicious with lots of variety. Then we have the mandatory orientation for visitors to the park before setting out for our first wet landing from the Zodiacs.
We have seen a large rock from the distance which looks like a big boot but we aren't headed there. We are headed to a white sand beach for our first nature walk and optional swim at a place called Cerro Brujo (Wizard Hill). From the time we get on the shore we are seeing sea lions of all sizes and shapes. There are little ones and really big ones. We walk around them and on the narrow parts of the path we walk over sleeping ones. Once in a while if you get too close, especially to a male, it will snort and bark to warn you not to come any closer. We aren't allowed to touch the animals but it is so tempting to reach out and feel their fur. The whiskers are long and quite stiff looking. We find out that they actually use them to hear sound vibrations in the water so they can follow the fish they have chosen to chase until the fish tires and becomes dinner.
The rocks are black, rough lava and they are covered with marine iguanas, lava lizards and Sally Lightfoot crabs.
The sky is full of birds looking for a fish supper and there are frigates, black lava gulls, pelicans and blue boobies! Yes, the boobies on the first day. None are wandering the shore but Stan took some stellar shots of them and the of the pelicans as they dove repeatedly for fish.
I spent my time tracking crabs. The shells are bright orange with wonderful patterns and the undersides are a lovely milky teal colour. With black lava rock as the backdrop they are quite spectacular to watch.
We head back to the boat for a quick shower and then head back to the lounge for the Captain's welcome which offers lovely appetizers and really delicious Grasshoppers to drink.
We are joined by a naturalist at our table for dinner (we sat with Massimo and one of the other onboard photographers at lunch). Having an expert to ask anything we want keeps the conversation quite lively. Most of the tables hold ten people and there is no assigned seating. We all have name tags and the ones who are adept at that sort of thing are quickly learning everyone's names.
There is no night life after dinner tonight. Everyone is quite exhausted but also quite happy. I must admit I fell asleep reading while Stan was downloading our photos. I couldn't even drag myself out of sleep long enough to brush my teeth - the first time that has happened in living memory!
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